Is Sun taking open source a little too far?

Schwartz puppetry

By Timothy Prickett Morgan • Get more from this author

Posted in Odds and Sods, 6th November 2008 19:00 GMT

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Steve Gillmor, host of the ZDNet podcast called the Gillmor Gang, has managed to secure an exclusive interview with Jonathan Schwartz, Sun Microsystems president and chief executive officer. Or so it seems.

The interview, which is available at the TechCrunchIT site and in the YouTube video below, outlines yet another open source initiative being spearheaded by Schwartz. Or at least by someone who looks like Schwartz. See it first hand for yourself:

It is a pity that Sun's strategy doesn't sound less like this. But in all fairness - as if there was such a thing in love, war, business, or politics - Sun had to do something to change itself, and embracing x64 iron and opening up its software was as good a plan as anyone had at the time. Time is telling, so far, if this was the right strategy to make money, though. It may be good for Sun's customers. If you can call a freeloader - er, open source software adopter - a customer. But it sure hasn't been good for Sun's shareholders.

Sun has been getting a financial haircut, having just booked a $1.7bn loss in its first quarter of fiscal 2009. Maybe it is time for Jonathan Schwartz to get one, too? Then again, I couldn't grow a pony tail if I tried. Just like Steve Ballmer. And Gillmor for that matter. We're probably just jealous. ®

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